AAOM Handbook

WE.31 Identify Lowest Risk Task(s) to Reschedule Context The primary objectives when executing a Task are to ensure that the work is completed when scheduled, that all required outcomes, specifications and tolerances are achieved in the allocated time, and that the sustainability expectations of the Company are mete. Throughout the execution of the schedule, and the Tasks in it, a check is maintained on both the rate of progress and on achievement of the specified outcomes. If it becomes apparent that the full committed schedule cannot be completed in the available time, and with the resources that can be mobilised, then some work from the schedule will have to be re-scheduled. In such cases an analysis of all of the work remaining on the schedule must be made to determine which work can be re-scheduled with the lowest potential impact on the business area. It is not uncommon that the first reaction to difficulty in executing a Task is to re-schedule the Task presenting the difficulty. This may be a good option but, where the potential impact of not completing the Task is high, it may be better to re-schedule other work in order to make time or resources available to complete the more critical Task. If the options of;  rescheduling Task(s) being completed prior to their Required Date, and  rescheduling Low Impact Task(s), and  varying the scope of Task(s) within the current scheduled period, have all been considered and the schedule still cannot be completed, then the last option is to identify the lowest risk Task(s) that can be rescheduled. Purpose To identify the Task(s) within the current schedule period that can be rescheduled with the lowest risk. Quantity One decision to defer completion of a Task(s) from the current schedule period. Quality The decision criteria to be used are:  it is not possible to complete all of the work assigned to the current schedule period, and  a work package assigned to this scheduled has the lowest risk to operations of any work package if rescheduled, and  the cost of rescheduling the work package is less than the cost of rescheduling other work packages with the same risk.